Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru (SP)
Mangaluru, Jan 5: "I keep hearing that Deepak, who worked for me, was killed because of communal hatred. But he was always found to be friendly with Muslims and I saw him always conversing with them in Beary language. He was working in our firm since the last seven years, and he was a warm, friendly person. For us, more than an employee, he was a friend," recollected Majeed, owner of the mobile shop for which Deepak worked, with grief.
Majeed said that Deepak used to sell SIM cards and collect currency amount. "He used to reach the shop at around 9.30 am everyday, stayed here for half an hour, after which he went out to collect currency. I never had any inkling of him having enmity with anyone. He had confessed to me about some skirmish that had happened over the issue of hanging buntings. On the day he was murdered, he came to the shop and went out at 10 am. Before leaving, he said he would be returning by 12.30 pm to provide detailed accounts," he stated.
Deepak Rao with mother
He also recollected that he had once visited the home o Deepak, and that Deepak had recently shared with him his plan of going abroad for work as his income had nosedived due to marked reduction in currency sale. "He used to be paid Rs 12,000 as monthly pay apart from some incentive from the company. But because of slump in currency sale, he was not even earning any incentive," Majeed stated.
Majeed said that the murder had happened near his shop and by the time he rushed to Deepak's rescue upon hearing his shouts, his employee-turned-friend had lost his life. "Thereafter I brought one of his friends to the spot. By then, police also arrived. I demand that the killers of Deepak be hanged," he stressed.
Mother grieves
Grieving over the body of her worthy son who was pillar of support for the family just before his funeral, Deepak's mother, Premalata, said that Deepak was the only support the family had. She said Deepak never had any enmity with anyone and she does not know why miscreants chose to end his life. She wished that the Lord would punish the killers.
"He had built the house in which we live. He had told me that the loan he had raised for house construction was almost cleared with only two lac rupees liability outstanding in the loan account. He assured me to release the gold jewellery pledged in the bank after the housing loan is cleared. He told me he had joined a fund that he would be able to look after me well," Premalata recounted.
The mother said she had told her son that she does not need the gold as he was everything for her. She confessed that she had stopped him from going abroad. "Perhaps I committed a mistake. If I had allowed him to go abroad, he would have been alive now. We had planned to conduct his marriage but he said he will marry after three years. He only attended Bhajan sessions and never interfered in others' lives. After reaching home at 7 pm everyday, he used to remain at home," she explained, recalling that her son was always with the family during breakfast and dinner.
- Mangaluru: Deepak murder suspects are not BJP members as alleged, says Palemar
- Bengaluru: CM condemns Deepak murder, urges people of DK not to pay heed to communal forces
- Bengaluru: Don't politicise Deepak Rao's death, home minister tells BJP
- Mangaluru: Deepak murder - Will investigate all angles, says ADGP Kamal Pant, rewards cops
- Mangaluru: BJP members try to stage road blockade over Deepak murder, arrested
- Bellary: Ramanath Rai has hand in Deepak Rao's murder - Yeddyurappa
- 'Murder number 21', tweets Pratap Simha on Deepak killing, meets Rajnath Singh
- Mangaluru: Deepak murder politically motivated, says MLA Bava, announces compensation
- Mangaluru: Two persons attacked in separate incidents at Suratkal, Kottara Chowki
- Mangaluru: Congress has 'internal pact' with communal forces, says C T Ravi on Katipalla murder
- Mangaluru: Katipalla murder - Police arrest four after dramatic chase, firing